It began in New Orleans, but jazz soon found a home in Chicago in the early twentieth century. The growth of jazz exploded as African-Americans migrated, between 1915 and 1970, from southern states to northern cities. Many of the 6 million who were part of that great exodus north, moved to Chicago. These musicians played in dance halls, restaurants, and nightclubs on the South Side of Chicago.

Although New York’s Tin Pan Alley was the center of the music publishing industry, it was Chicago that attracted the best in jazz musicians. The city’s music history is one of the reasons it celebrates its jazz heritage every year during Labor Day weekend, but Duke Ellington was really the impetus for the annual Jazz Festival. The idea for the festival began right after the 1974 death of the legendary composer, pianist, and jazz-orchestra leader.

Ellington, was, and still is, one of the most popular composers in American music. He composed many great songs, but is best known for: Take the “A” Train, It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing), Mood Indigo, Sophisticated Lady,Solitude,In a Sentimental Mood and many others. His passing caused his fans so much grief that they organized a festival to honor him in Grant Park. Over 10,000 jazz aficionados attended that first event, which went on to become an annual event. In 1978, another group organized a Grant Park festival to honor famous jazz saxophonist, John Coltrane. When, in 1979, the Jazz Institute of Chicago began preparations for its own Grant Park Festival--which would have resulted in three separate jazz festivals being held in Grant Park at the same time at the end of August--the Mayor's Office of Special Events stepped in and combined the three different festivals together to create the Free Chicago Jazz Festival. That first Chicago Jazz Festival included an Ellington Night, a Coltrane Night, and five other programs put together by the Jazz Institute of Chicago. Held at Grant Park's, at-the-time, new Petrillo Music Shell, the first season included performances by Benny Goodman, Mel Torme, Von Freeman, Benny Carter, Art Hodes, McCoy Tyner, and Billy Taylor. Of course, with such talent, the event was a big hit, drawing in over 120,000 jazz enthusiasts. Since that initial event, the city’s jazz festivals have featured some of the most famous musical greats, which included Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Lionel Hampton, Sara Vaughan, Carmen McRae, BB King, Count Basie, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, and many others. The free festival is now part of a summer-long series of concerts and festivals sponsored by the city's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. This year, the 35th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival, which takes place from August 29-September 1, kicks off its traditional three-day Labor Day weekend at the Chicago Cultural Center before moving from the old Petrillo Music Shell, which had awful acoustics, to its new home in Millennium Park. Jazz performances also will be held at Roosevelt University’s Ganz Hall, and on special stages at Millennium Park, which include the Von Freeman Pavilion at Millennium Park’s south promenade, a jazz and Heritage Pavilion in the park’s north promenade. These pavilions will flank the Cloud Gate (The Bean) sculpture. Attractions at this year’s jazz celebration include the Christopher McBride Quartet, trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, Hamid Drake’s Chicago Trio, Frank Russell Band, William Parker, Nick Mazzarella Trio, Erin McDougald Quartet, Jack DeJohnette, Rudresh Mahanthappa, and more. For a complete lineup of performers, times, and locations, visit www.chicagojazzfestival.us.